Heat treating apparatus for metal work



1 June 6, 1933. H. ROSENBERG HEAT TREATING APPARATUS FOR METAL WORK 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 10. 1931 HEYNAN RUEENBERL June 6, 1933. H. ROSENBERG HEAT TREATING APPARATUS FOR METAL WORK Filed Dec. 10, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 3mm HEYMAN RUSENBERL June 6, 1933. H. ROSENBERG 1,913,091

HEAT TREATING APPARATUS FOR METAL WORK Filed Dec. 10, 1951 3-Sheets-Sheet 3 V {l F 15 2| Qwdwmtoz HEYMANRUSEN ERg l atented .lune 6,

UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 HEYMAN ROSENBERG, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

HEAT TREATING Arrnna'rus non METAL wonx Application filed December 10, 1931. Serial No. 580,158.

adapted for operation with a sufiiciently reduced requirement for manual manipulations to enable a single operator tocarry on the work of heat treatment.

'A more detailed objectis the retention of the work being treated within the heat treating area for the requisite time without ap preciable reduction in the rapidity with which fresh supplies of work may be intro duced and treated supplies removed, and in further detail it is an object of the present invention to prevent delay or interference through inaccuracy or lack of precision in the location of batches of work during positioning thereofwithin theheating area.

In still further detail, it is an object of. the present invention to move work within the heat treating area witha step by step movement and to effect a braking action for bringingthe work to a standstill between steps at a predetermined point, the actuating and brakingmechanisms bein operated by synchronized mechanism for efi'ective coordination. 1

Another detailed object is the automatic removal of a batch of work from a place of discharge for insuring against obstruc-l tion for the next successive batch.

With these and other objects in view as will in part hereinafter become apparent and in part be stated, the invention includes means for heat treating Work, power driven means for moving work within the heat treating area, and means for shifting batches of work to and from the heat treat- ..i'ng area. i i r l The invention also comprises arotary sup- .The invention includes also in such port for workadapted to detachably sustain work in a heat treating area, means for rotating the rotary support, and brake mechanism synchronized therewith for braking the movement of the rotary support against coasting for providing precision in the stop ping points thereof.

a combination means for enabling manual adjustit ment of the rotary support in case inaccuracy of location of stop occurs.

The invention still further includes in such a combination a hood substantially enclosing the heat treating area and through which hood the actuator of the rotary support extends.

. The invention still further comprises discharging means for work, and a conveyor cooperating therewith for removing work from the conveyor while thework is receiving the concluding heat treating action.

The invention comprises certain other novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts as will in part hereinafter become apparent and in part be pointed out and will be thereafter set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings,- Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of an apparatus embodying the features of the present invention, parts being broken away for the saving of space. t

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof, parts being broken away for disclosing parts heneath, and other parts being broken away for thesaving of space.

Figure 3 is a transverse section taken substantially on the plane indicated by line 33 of Figure l, and looking in the direction of the arrow, parts being seen in elevation.

While the present invention is illustrated as applied to the molten bath treatment of metal articles, as, for instance, for cyanide case-hardening, and by way of illustration this particular treatment will be hereinafter specifically referred to, it should be understood that the apparatus is well adapted for various other heat treatments, such as molten metal annealing, direct heat annealing,

and other metal work treatment whose requirements are known and are within the capacity of the apparatus. Thus, the reference to cyanide case-hardening treatment and to the cyanide bath is intended to include any appropriate heat treatment within the capacity of the structures disclosed in the drawings and hereinafter described and claimed, and such reference is to be taken as illustrative only. I

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 1 indicates any appropriate furnace supplied with fuel of any acceptable type not illustrated, one very effective form of fuel being gas. Pendent from the top of and within the furnace 1 is the pot 2 which surrounds the heating area for the high temperature heat treatment ofth'e work and which contains the molten mass 3 of cyanide or other liquid, according to the treatment being carried out.

A bed plate or frame 4 is provided with a downwardly-extending shaft 5 journaled in an appropriately anchored standard or sup port 6, and preferably detachably connected thereto, the shaftv being journaled to escillate about a vertical axis and being provided with an actuating gear 7, preferably of the worm gear type, meshing with a worm 8 carried by and adapted to be actuated through an appropriate shaft 9 journaled in a bracket 10 connected to the support 6. By means of the shaft 9, worm 10, and gear 7 the bed'plate 4 is adapted to be swung with the shaft 5 about the axis of the shaft to and from a position where the free end of bed plate rests on a standard or support 11. Preferably formed integral and upstanding from bed plate 4 is a standard 12 to which is detachably fixed an out standing bracket arm 13 having its free end normally located to overhang the center of the heating area 3, the said free end being so located when the free end of the bed plate 4 rests on standard 11. Journaled in and suspended from the free end of bracket 13 is a pendent vertical shaft 14, which is connected through appropriate gears 15 with an actuating shaft 16. Shaft 16 is journaled in brackets 17 upstanding from the bracket arm 13 and standard 12, and the shaft 16 is preferably formed in two parts connected by a clutch 18, one of the clutch parts 18 being slidable on the respective section of shaft 16 and being adapted to be manually moved for enabling relative independent movement of the sections of shaft 16. The shaft 16 is normally actuated with a step by step advance so that the shaft 14 is similarly actuated, and to the lower end of shaft 14 is preferably detachably fixed a supporting table 19, preferably divided to form a series of equally spaced yoke-like brackets 20. Each arm of each yoke comprising the bracket 20 preferably has its upper face notched to receive and sustain a cross bar 21. Each cross bar 21 preferably midway of its length is provided with a pendent hook 22 which, in operation, engages and sustains an appropriate bail 23 extending through a batch of work 24 and engages an appropriate plate or disc 25 on which the work 24 rests. The bail 23, of course, is sufficiently open to enable it to be freely applied on and removed from the respective hook 22. I

Between outstanding cars 26 of bracket 13 is pivotally mounted a relatively small frame '27 having an appropriate operating handle 28, and in the frame 27 is journaled a worm 29 connected to be actuated by a handle 30. The frame 27 is pivoted to swing sufiiciently for causing the work 29 to move into and out of mesh with a worm gear 31 fixed to and carried by the shaft 14, so that in the event the table 19 is by any means advanced or retarded out of the proper step by step relation to the cooperating parts, the operator may manually press the lever 28 to bring the worm 29 into mesh with gear 31, and then a slight movement of lever 30 will shift the table as required to the exact location, it being understood of course that before the worm 29 is'swung into mesh with gear 31 the. parts of clutch 18 are manually opened to allow of independent movement of the forward section of shaft 16 without reference to the driving gear engaging the rear section of the shaft and to be hereinafter described.

Preferably at the opposite side of the furnace 1 from the location of the bed plate 4 is a chilling vat 32, or other container for the substance with which the work is to be treated following its treatment in pot 2. For ordinary cyanide case-hardening work, the vat 32 will-contain an appropriate chilling agent, such as water or oil. The vat 32 may be of any required or desirable length, its length being abbreviated by the breaking away of intermediate portions in the drawings for the saving of space. At that end of vat 32 adjacent furnace 1, a table or platform 33 is provided preferably on top of the vat. Extending throughout the length of the vat 32 at the top thereof and beneath the platform 33 are spiral or screw conveyors 34, 34, journaled in appropriate bracket bearings 35, 35 carried by the vat. The outer ends of conveyors 34 are provided with appropriate gears 36 meshing with gears carried by a drive shaft 37 driven from anv acceptable source of power, such as an electric motor 38. The conveyor spirals 34 are spaced apart a distance approximately equal to the spacing of the arms of the yokes 22., so as to accommodate batches of work between the spirals corresponding to the accommodation between the arms of the yokes, the cross rod 21 in each instance resting in tained by the hooks, the weight of the load no tendency to shift therods 21 longitudi the grooves of the spirals and being caused tate relatively in opposite directions and actually toward each other, so that there is nally since the frictional sliding contacts of the two ends oppose each other.

Between the furnace and vat is arranged a shifting or delivery lever and actuating mechanism which is preferably substantially identically the same as that set forth in my above-identified co-pending application except that the operating lever is preferably made of a pair of parallel arms spaced to accommodate the load movement therebe= tween instead of depending upon a single arm. In greater detail, the transfer mechanism preferably consistsof a rock shaft 39 journaled inappropriate brackets 40 fixed to an outstanding part of the cover of fur nace 1 i and carrying an appropriately keyed or otherwise fiixed rocker arm made up of parallel bars 41, 41, spaced apart sufficiently to accommodate a batch of work therebetween. The free ends of the bars 41 are connected by a fixed rod 42 on which is freely .pivotally mounted a pair of pendent hooks spaced apart sufficiently to accommodate the shank of hook 22 therebetween, the hooks i 43 being proportioned to effectively receive W and sustain the cross bar 21 of eachhook 22.

Hooks 43 arepreferably connected together and held by an appropriate stop against lateral shifting, and are provided with a counterbalance 4-4 for retaining the hooks proper out of thevertical line of the axis of their pivot, so that, when a loadis suswill causethe hooks to lie in said vertical line, EtIlCl,1\Vl1Gl1 theload 1s relieved from the hooks and the hooks are lowered to be free of the load, the counterbalance weight 44 will swing the hooks laterally of the vertical line of the axis of pivotal movement of the hooks and thus leave the hooks free to escape fromuengagement with the load, that is with the cross bar 21 which represents the'load, since it is the means of connection of a batch of Work to the hooks. Shaft 39 i preferably counterbalanced at 45t o render actuation of the shaft comparatively easy, and the shaft carries an appropriate gear within a gear housing 46, which gear is connected through a chain of gears also arranged in said housing to an actuating shaft 47 which carries the hand operating crank 48. Crank 48 may, and preferably does, consist of a series of bars each serving as a crank to facilitate manual actuation. The detailed construction of the gears within housing46 is not illustrated, since it is fully shown in my co-pending application filed September 11, 1931, SerialNo.562,394.

While the driving mechanism for shaft 16 is susceptible of a wide range of variation, one preferred embodiment is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and includes an actuator or electric motor 49 connected to actuate appropriatereducing speed gears tended,- cooperating with the action of the cam of disc 54. The upper end of the link 55 is pivotally connected to a bell crank lever 57 which is connected by link 58 to therecipi-ocating rod 59 slidingly mounted in an appropriate bracket 60. The opposite end of rod 59 from that engaging link 58 is provided with a disc brake 61 cooperatively disposed with respect to anappropriate braking drum 62 carried by the free end of the rear section of shaft 16, so that, when the cam of disc 52 is in the proper position, the brake 61 engages drum 62 and effects stopping of. the movement of table 19 andprevents coasting thereof. The bell crank lever 57 is preferably offset, as seen in Figure 2 and indicatedin Figure 3, the arms of the lever being connected by an appropriately journaled shaft 57'.

The cam disc 54 is provided with a can] 53, and

groove 63 into which the finger 64 of re-f ciprocating link 65 extends. Links 65 is guided in an appropriate sleeve66 carried by a part of the upstanding framework 67 mounted on thebed plate 4. Pivoted to link 65 is alink68 which in turn extends between and is pivotally connected to a pair of oscillating blocks 69 journaled on the rear section of shaft 16. A ratchet wheel 70 is fixed to the shaft 16 betweenthe blocks 69 and is engagedby a pawl 71 stressed by spring 72 fixed to the blocks 69 in position for retaining pawl 71 in engagement With ratchet Wheel 70. The contour of cam groove 63 (see Figure 3) is such as to impart to links 65 and 68 and blocks 69 the requisite reciprocation for causing the pawl to move the length of one tooth of ratchet 70 with each revolution of cam discs 52 and 54, and to drop from one tooth to the next so that, as the cam disc 54 is revolved, the shaft 16 is given a step by step movement,

which movement is imparted to the table 19 and the parts are located-and the stroke of the step measured to cause a batch of work to exactly move into line with the hooks 43 with each advance stroke of pawl 71. While the pawl 71 is making its return stroke, and

is pausing at the end of the return stroke by virtue of the concentric portion of cam 63, the table will remain motionless and afford the operator opportunity to unload and reload the particular yoke of the table presented, as hereinafter more specifically set forth. As the pawl 71 reaches the limit of its advance stroke, the brake 61 seats itself against brake drum 62 and remains seated until the pawl 71 is ready for its next advance stroke, and then, as the pawl 71 begins its next advance stroke, the brake 61 moves away from drum 62 and leaves the table '19 free to move forward through its next step.

While, of course, the manual features of the operation are susceptible of quite a range of variation, the preferred operation will be carried out as follows:

The table 19 will be loaded by manually swinging lever 41 over toward, but not to, the dotted line position of Figure 1, that is to a position where a batch of work 24 resting on the platform 33 can be readily lifted manually to cause the bail of such batch of work to drop into the hook of the carrier bar 21 previously supplied to hooks 43 by the operator. The operator then rotates crank lever 48 to cause contra-clockwise movement of lever 41. The batch of work being suspended vertically wvill move between the bars 41 as they swing toward the full line position of Figure 1, and further downward movement of the lever 41 will cause the cross bar 21 with its suspended load to rest upon the predetermined yoke 20. The lever 41 is then lowered just a slight distance suflicient to allow the counterbalancing force of weight 44 to swing hooks 43 out of the line of the respective bar '21, and then the lever 41 1s swung back to receive another batch of work while table 19' advances a step to present an empty yoke 20. This is continued until the entire group of yokes 20 is full. Meanwhile, it should be understood that the work first introduced will have received the requisite cyanide, or other desired heat treatment, and when the first introduced batch of work reaches a position again in line with hooks 43, after rotation within the pot 2, the operator lowers the lever 41 above the pot with the hooks in an empty condition, and when the hooks have reached a position beneath the line of the respective cross bar 21, the operator will manually press the hooks 43 sufficiently to overcome the counterbalance weight 44 and to move to a position beneath cross bar 21. While the hooks are held in this position, the operator moves lever 48 for lifting lever 41 to bring the hooks into engagement with the cross bar, and then lever 48 is fur ther moved to swing the cross bar through the are indicated by the dot and dash line in Figure 1 to the position indicated by dotted lines in said figure. It should be understood that the manual movement of the hooks 43 against the counterbalancing pressure of weight 44 may be accomplished in any preferred manner, one appropriate means consisting in the use of a rod in the left hand of the operator while the right hand of the operator actuates the lever 48. Any other approriate means may be employed, and it is, of course, possible, when desired, to provide automatic means, such as a shifting cam, for shifting the location of weight 44 and changing its center of gravity. When the parts reach the position of the dotted lines in Figure 1, the cross bar 21 engaging the conveyor spirals 34 will move in a direction away from the furnace, and the operator, of course, as a continuous movement, will move lever 41 downward sufficiently to free the hooks 43, and as soon as they are free will bring them back up to the loading position, which is only sufficiently above the platform 33 to render manual loading easy and convenient. A new batch of work is then suspended on the hooks 43, and the lever returned to deliver the load to the new empty yoke of table 19. \Veight 44 effects an automatic release with this delivery, and the operator then lifts lever 41 slightly but sufficiently to allow the next step of the table 19 to present the next batch of work to be removed, thus completing the cycle of operations. It should be understood, of course, that the operator must work with such speed and dexterity as to reload and get the hooks 43 out of the path of the table 19 during the time the pawl 71 is moving back and pausing preparatory for a new actuating stroke. The timing of the motor 49 and the reducing speed gears 50 will be such as to afford the requisite time for operations. If any mishap should occur, or any occasion arise to desire the table 19 not to make an advance step on time, the operator merely manually opens the clutch 18, and the table 19 will thereupon remain stationary until either actuated by gear 29 or the clutch 18 is returned to operative position.

The batches of work in the vat 32 may be removed therefrom in any preferred manner, as by manual removal at the remote end of the vat.

It is well understood that fumes incident to heat treatment of metal work, and particularly so when cyanide is used, are not only obnoxious, but are dangerous to the health, and it is one of the objects of the present invention to largely avoid opportunity for the release of fumes, so that what few fumes do escape may be easily eliminated by hooded ventilators. To this end, the space above the pot 2 is covered by a cap 73 completely enclosing the pot and having a flange resting on and preferably but sufiicient space being left therebetween to allow free rotation of the table without friction. But for the necessity for access to the pot, the fumes would thus be practically completely sealed against escape. To allow movement of batches of work into and out of the pot, the cap 7 3 is formed with an appropriate aperture 7 6 of sufficient width and length to accomodate parts to be moved therethrough. i

It will be noted that while the worm 8 is stationary,it serves as a lock to hold worm gear 7 against movement, and, therefore, tends to lock thesuperimposed parts in the required fixed position, but as a means of 1 further insurance against accidental or other undesired displacement, overlapping flanges 77 and 78 respectively from the upright 12 the top of furnace 1 are detachably fastened together by bolt 79 Should it become desirable for any reason to gain full and free access either to the pot 2 or to the interior of furnace 1, or to replace the table 19, or

treat otherwise inaccessible parts thereof, the cap 73 with its collar 7 5 are removed after the table 19 has been fully discharged, and then the bolt 79 iswithdrawn and the worm 8 actuated to swing the superimposed parts laterally with respect to the furnace 1 until the table 19 is entirely clear of the furnace.

After the desired interchange, repair or other treatment, the parts are restored for further operation.

What is claimed is 1. In apparatus of the class described, the

combination, with means providing a heati the force of the moving means.

a ing area, of a work support arranged above the heating area, means for advancing the a work support with a step by step movement,

and braking means for the work support for stopping movement of the work support at a definite predetermined location, and releasing the work support for free movement at other times.

2. The combinationas claimed in claim 1 herein the moving means and braking means are mechanically connected to cooperate in synchronism to apply the brake only at the conclusion of the step of movement under 3. The combination as claimed in claim 1 whereln the mov ng means and braking means are mechanically connected to cooping area, and means adjacent to the firstmentioned means providing a further heat treatment area, of a spiral conveyor comprising spaced spirals disposed above the saidfurther heat treatment area and adapt-- ed to receive in the grooves of the spirals the cross bar of work sustaining means while such work sustainingmeans suspends the work in. the furtherheat treatment area, and means for shifting work thus carried by work supporting means from the first-mentioned heat treatment area to the further heat treatment area into such engagement with saidspirals.

6, In apparatus of the class described, the

a combination, with means providing a heating chamber, of a work carrier adjacent to and cooperating with the heating chamber andmovably mounted relative thereto for moving work therein, a shaft for moving the work carrier, a pawl and ratchetactuator for the shaft, and a brake for the shaft geared to assume and maintain the braking position only during return movement of the pawl.

7. In apparatus of the class described, the combination, with means providing a heating area, of work supporting and moving means located for sustaining work in cooperative relation to said heat treating area, means for moving the work support, a brake for braking movement of the work support, a

and means for moving the brake into and out of braking relation for leaving the work 

